


for a short while

by Mars_and_Moon



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Torchwood
Genre: 1000 words of owen loving his daughter, Dad Owen Harper, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, How Do I Tag, Slice of Life, Talent Shows, alright. i've had ollie for one fic and she's already the best, worlds most trying to be good dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23106049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mars_and_Moon/pseuds/Mars_and_Moon
Summary: Owen was late. The car park for the school was already full. And god, he wants a nap.[also known as: Owen Harper and the Elementary School Talent Show]
Relationships: Owen Harper & Olivia Vivienne Harper, Owen Harper/Katie Russell (past)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15





	for a short while

**Author's Note:**

> i show up and with a new hyper-fixation. this fandom is dead, but i choose to vibe. 
> 
> please enjoy this self indulgence.

Owen was late. There was an unexplained alien body that was found in a bathroom stall, and he had to stay late to finish up the autopsy and then finish the reports correctly, or else face the wrath of one Ianto Jones. None of that is an excuse for being late. 

The car park for the school was already full, and it wouldn't have been if he wasn't late. Fucking Torchwood. All he really wanted to do was go home and sleep for as long as he could before the next life or death crisis came around, and maybe order pizza because he would most definitely not be cooking tonight. Maybe not pizza though, he could stop somewhere on the drive home. 

The auditorium doors weren't locked, and the Torchwood part of his mind was making a checklist for everything that could go wrong because of that. But it made his life easier. The headmaster was giving a speech, and judging on the time it was because of the intermission. It was an elementary school talent show, so lord knows why there was an intermission. But this was good, this meant that he hadn't missed the entire reason he broke about six traffic laws. Owen took one of the few empty seats, next to a blonde woman in what looked to be a zebra striped suit. 

He was not quiet, nor was he subtle when he sat down, causing at least seven nasty looks thrown in his direction. He recognizes the woman a few seconds too late; Hollie Webb. Wonderful, just what he needed right now, the embodiment of suburbia giving him a side eye because he was late. 

Excuse him, Hollie. He was kind of busy saving the planet from aliens, Hollie. He's a single father, Hollie. He didn't know that the cookies he made had to be dairy free, Hollie. Yes, Owen is still angry about the bake sale incident. He baked four dozen cookies and they got thrown away. Beside the point. 

During Owen's salty monologue, the headmaster had stopped talking and instead was introducing the next kid. To be frank, Owen didn't actually care about the rest of the kids, maybe that makes him a terrible person, but he thinks it makes him a better father. He zoned out, until he heard the very distinct noise of tap shoes. 

"Next up, performing an original dance, Olivia Harper!" Owen suppressed groan, and heard an actual one from off stage. He hates Ollie's full name being used, he hates the name full stop really. But, it was Katie's first choice. 

Ollie walks out from the side onto the stage, her tap shoes click-click-click across the stage. An older student follows behind her, carrying the portable platform that Ollie has begged for three Christmases ago. At least she uses it, at least tap dancing wasn't a passing phase. 

The older student places the platform down, and pauses for a moment before Ollie clears her throat and he walks away. Eight years old and already sending boys running, Owen is definitely not complaining about this. She gives a thumbs up to off stage, the one she hadn't walked out from, and music starts playing.

Owen won't lie and say he has no idea what any of the moves are, after she told him that she wanted to do tap dance Owen spent four days researching it, and that didn't end when Ollie actually started lessons. He knows enough to know that she misses a singular beat in the dance, and she'll spend the rest of the night sulking about it, and then continually practice the dance until she doesn't miss anything. But she landed her spin. She was really concerned about that, so that's good. 

Owen is not the type of parent to bring a camera to school talent shows, so he doesn't have anything to record the moment when Ollie finishes the routine. He doesn't really need one though, the rest of the parents clap, and Owen stands up and claps even louder

"Dad!" Ollie shouts upon seeing him. Her face bursts into a huge smile, the gap in her bottom teeth on full display. The student that brought out the platform looks caught in the headlights as he walks back on stage to retrieve it. She starts shouting again. "Didya see! I landed the spin!" 

A teacher is on the stage now, gently shoving Ollie and the other student off. Owen's laughing at Ollie's outraged expression directed towards the poor teacher; she's saying something that Owen can't hear, something that will probably end up with him getting a phone call about her language. Hollie Webb is giving him a look, one that says  _ 'learn to control your child!' _ . Which, no. 

The headmaster is there now, trying very hard to introduce the next performer. But is interrupted when Ollie bolts out and climbs down the stage, running over to Owen still in her tap shoes. He laughs harder when they are politely asked to leave so as to not disturb the rest of the show. She doesn't stop talking about her performance, landing her spin, and missing a beat. She's asking about Ms. Tosh, and wondering when she can visit his work again. What Maggie Smith said at lunch that made Shawn Jaymes laugh hard enough milk came out his nose. 

No camera. Owen doesn't need one for times like this, when genuine happiness overthrows both of them. Ollie asking if they can pretty please stop at her favorite cafe, she knows exactly what she wants to eat; Owen knows damn well that she'll take ten minutes to decide and end up with the same thing, but the two will go anyway. 

Owen's phone starts ringing when they're driving to the cafe. His hands grip the wheel, his knuckles turn white. If it's Torchwood he swears he's going to kill someone, probably Jack, he'll figure out how to keep him dead. 

It is not Torchwood. It is a scam calling asking him about his health insurance, that’s good. That means he can enjoy the night with his daughter. 

“Dad?” Ollie starts, “Do you think, maybe, we could drive really, really fast?” 

Owen gives a smile into the mirror, a big enough one that she can see. He makes a sharp left, a few miles that way and it’ll be dead quiet. “Coming right up, Ms. Ollie Harper.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Ollie: *has one (1) interest*
> 
> Owen: fucking superb you funky little seven year old
> 
> please support my vibes with comments and kudos


End file.
